Dr. Erin Finn is an Emergency Department physician, who sees every manner of back pain in her day to day work in the ER. Today she presents her ONE THING, a continuing series where experts in various fields share their number one suggestion for preventing or relieving back & neck pain.
You hear me harp over and over about the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle with regards to back pain. Here are some additional tips you can use to prevent becoming a victim of sitting on your butt:
-If you are sitting for more than 30 minutes, get up and stretch out your legs and back.
-Take a few minutes at lunch time to take a walk, even if it is just around your office building or school.
-If you have an exercise bike, or treadmill- set it up where you watch TV so you can take a sedentary activity, and make it an active one.
-Park your car a few spots out when you are grocery shopping, or going to the mall- the extra few steps won’t hurt.
-Don’t lose track of how much time you are wasting on the internet. GET UP!
-If you are a student, put some of your notes on 3×5 cards so you can ‘stroll & study.’
-Take the stairs when you can.
So try to keep moving. Like Dr. Finn said- if you rest, you rust!
Be well!
-Andy
